IJASWORDS

Sayagaki by GASSAN SADATOSHI on my 1933 Crown Prince GASSAN SADAKATSU.

The swords in the photo posted by Trystan above were all made by KANEMICHI. Here are some photos of my 1935 KANETOKI who changed his name to KANEMICHI later on. This example in gloss '94 mounts, has horimono on both sides! I am obviously a fan of his work, and the number of swords with beautifully cut horimono is amazing. Many are true works of art.

Bruce, in the closeup photo, you will see a dot of spot weld. This spot weld secures a flat piece of spring steel steel (NOT a coil spring) that keeps the cover erect or flat. The saya is then painted over on assembly. I have been contacted by a few collectors who had missing springs, and wanted to know how to repair or replace the spring. This would be a delicate operation!!

Some Iida latch close-ups for reference. Note the internal locking "paul" in the tsuba. I don't see one in Jason's photos.

Yep, a good book with history, genealogy, oshighata etc.

Hey Bryce, do have this book?

G'day, Bryce, your belief may be correct, but it is still speculation. The problem of posting your belief in this esteemed forum is that in years to come it may be quoted as fact. I would like more (and possibly documented evidence) that daimei/daisaku were made as early as 1925. Signatures change slightly over the years (mine has!). As a SADAKATSU owner and fellow enthusiast and researcher, as you are, I rely on verifiable information, and testimony from the GASSAN family. What you say has dramatic implications for collectors/owners/researchers, and of course, regardless, they are still papered as Sadakatsu. Keep up the research, its been a good discussion topic.

If you go back to Bruce's video he posted, at about 6mins 20secs in, there is the rational for the latch and cover. And some nice photos. Photo of one of mine with Gendai MASAFUSA blade for comparison.

I would like to take this discussion back to topic, away from French Fries and Belgium waffles. In December (winter) 1938, the Chinese Manchurian Railway Factory (Dairen), who a year earlier in 1937, made the first MANTETSU TO blades, set up a sword polishing, sword mounts manufacture, and sword assembly factory in their FUTABA Kindergarten building. Blades made until March 23, 1939, were branded with the Manchurian Railway stamp (a rail in an "M"), after this date are engraved Koa Isshin. Here is one such Winter 1938 fully Manchurian made and assembled with original 1938 mounts. These enigmatic and rare swords (only a handful exist in collections) are never seen in surrender photos (particularly in the Pacific), and it is my belief that the Imperial Japanese Army used them exclusively in the Manchurian campaign. This sword has an alfa/numeric mune stamp, N156, and is one of the earliest (if not the earliest) stamp on record. (Bruce, can you comment?). Of note is a very visible HADA HABUCHI, and HATARAKI, which to my mind, make it a great example of a Chinese "Japanese Sword".

Bryce, the HABAKI on my 1933 SADAKATSU. The sides are flat, and the edges are in the GASSAN style.

It is now sold, thankyou.

This sword is by (Mori) YOSHICHIKA, a Gendai smith from the Taisho to Showa periods, and was located in Tokyo. His swords were renown for their cutting ability. Most of the swords carried by the Imperial Guard were YOSHICHICKA, as the Emperor held him in the highest esteem. In Russo-Japanese war KYU GUNTO mounts, of around the turn of the 20th century, this sword has significant military and sword making history. This is no parade sword, but a traditionally made weapon of war, complete with a silver Samurai Mon on the handle. The blade length is a full 65.5 cm, and is not modified to suit the mounts, it was made as as an ensuite outfit. The blade exhibits HADA and HAMON, and a beautiful temper line and pattern. And is shown by its nice polish. This sword by a 1.5 million YEN smith, has matching fittings, beautiful brass work, and the SAME and WIRE on the handle is intact. At USD2000, postage included, this would suit Gendai and Military collectors.

Bruce, good question. It is definitely Showa period. I am assuming that being the same size, shape, and having the hole for the leather securing tab as the "bamboo" example, pictured, it was.

Bruce, I think you can add these to Showa period civilian mounted military fittings. A complete set of pine tree branch motif fittings on a December 1943 HIROMITSU blade.

The lovely sword with horimono posted by Colin H, triggered a thread that I have been meaning to kick off for a while. It is my personal opinion that a WW2 Gunto with a horimono is (again in my opinion) one of the "Holy Grails" of military sword collecting. I will start with a few of mine, all by the same swordsmith KANETOKI who then changed his name to KANEMICHI. These are all WW2 period blades, that show horimono, Bonji and Kanji. I would hope that others could contribute to this thread, as I think it would add to our knowledge of the art.

This sword could fit into high class Gendai or high class Gunto, and I may have even posted it before. But I am playing with my new phone camera, and thought I would share the photos. HOKKE SABURO NOBUFUSA, rated at 2.5 million, puts him in the very highest echelon of Gendai smiths. This sword appealed to me because of the because of the quality of the workmanship, and near mint 98 koshirae. With a Nagasa of 65cm, it is a powerful and elegant sword.

Bruce, here is one of mine to ponder. RJT smith KANETOSHI with just about every acceptance and arsenal stamp, including a star stamp miss hit 3 times! It is 65cm long, made in 1941, and is extremely well made, including what looks like a Juka-Choji hamon. The stamps are on both sides, and 3 on the mune. Matching assembly numbers on the fittings. It is in original WW2 polish, but every feature is visible.

Thanks Peter, that adds so much more interest to my sword. I feel privileged to own a sword where the family tradition continues.

One of my favourite Kai Gunto (Navy Sword). A 65cm Komiya Shiro Kunimitsu, no date no stamps. This Gendai-to exhibits the features you would expect in a sword this highly rated smith, including abundant NIE. The SAYA is finished in the rare matt finish, the fittings all have matching numbers, and the VERY rare securing lanyard is still attached. It is my belief that his descendants are making knives today using the Shiro name.

Thought I would put up a sword that ticked many of my boxes. Its a (Morita) KANESHIGE, a 1 million Yen award winning RJT Smith. See attached information thanks to Slough. Long 70cm, papered, Mon, nice complete leather combat cover, lacquered ITO, a very special dragon on Ken Menuki, silver foiled habarki, nice hamon, hada, and hataraki. No date.

Bruno, Gendaito collectors do prefer UBU blades, and signatures, sometimes swords of the period are however not dated.

John J, I agree with you. Not every one can afford a GREAT Koto sword however. And there are some fantastic Gendai swords that I think have the "romance" factor of being carried to war by a WW2 Japanese officer. Remember, the Japanese Gunto was the last sword actually used as a weapon of war and not as a ceremonial dress sword. So a nice Gendai in original Gunto mounts is as much a part of Japanese sword history as any other.

There are three really nice Gendai swords currently for sale (in the for sale section) from Ray Singer, MarcoUdin and David Flynn. These are great traditionally made swords in very good WW2 original Koshirai. And at the moment, there doesn't appear to be a lot of interest. They are obviously not in the "bargain basement" price point, but they are not bargain basement swords. As a collector of Gunto/Gendai swords, I think these swords are all worth a serious look. I am seeing far less important swords sell for only a couple of hundred bucks cheaper. As Brian has said, for a bit more cash, you could buy something much better that is worth studying and enjoying. This should be valuable advice to NEW collectors, it is always better to buy quality, one day in the future you may regret not getting the good, a little more expensive sword.

While we are in a YASUKUNI mood, a couple of mine. An early 1938 (Kajiyama) YASUTOKU in leather combat cover, and a 1942 (Kotani) YASUNORI in an aluminium saya. Both in Suya fittings, with pierced tsuba.